Council initiates medical marijuana ordinance A Sept. 13 City Council decision initiated an ordinance to create zoning laws for medical marijuana dispensaries. The vote directed the city attorney to draft an ordinance following recommendations from the Citizen’s Medical Marijuana Task Force, said District 1 City Councilwoman Sherri Lightner representative Alex Varon. “The ordinance would only apply to land use regulations,” Varon said. “Enforcement and guidelines for caregivers and patients is on a separate track and was not considered.” One motion the City Council adopted changes the definition of “school” in the zoning ordinance to include colleges, universities and other higher education institutions. Varon said that once the city attorney completes a draft ordinance, it would be heard by the Land Use & Housing Technical Advisory Committee, the city’s Code Monitoring Team and the Planning Commission before returning to the City Council. “The best estimate for Council to hear the ordinance is early January,” Varon said. Dredging begins on the Mission Bay Channel Crews began preparations last week for sand to be dredged from the bottom of the Mission Bay Channel. Large pipes will carry sand from the channel to a one-mile stretch of South Mission Beach to fortify the shoreline. The pipes will reach as far north as San Juan Place. San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders secured federal stimulus funds to pay for the $5.3 million project. The project aims to increase the safety of boaters by making the channel deeper, eliminating breaking waves that can cause danger to boaters. Lifeguard, commercial and recreational vessels traverse the channel. The dredging will begin Tuesday, Sept. 21 and is expected to last about 30 days, said city officials. Man drowns off Mission Beach on Yukon dive A City Heights man who was part of a group diving tour that included the Yukon wreckage drowned off the coast of Mission Beach on Sept. 11. The body of 48-year-old Robert Michael Clampitt was found submerged and was brought to the surface by city lifeguards. Clampitt was pronounced dead at 4:20 p.m. According to the county’s Medical Examiner’s Office, Clampitt was part of a 14-person group aboard Waterhouse Charter for a diving excursion. The group’s first stop was the Yukon wreckage, where Clampitt went on a dive and did not return. The cause of death is still pending and the San Diego Police Department is investigating the death. Golfers preparing to tee-off for schools The Mission Bay Real Estate Association (MBREA) will hold its 10th annual Links for Learning Gold Tournament next month. The outing serves as a fundraiser for local elementary schools in Pacific Beach. In the previous nine tournaments, the MBREA raised more than $112,000. Funds were then donated to Kate Sessions Elementary, Crown Point Elementary, Bay View Terrace Elementary and Pacific Beach Elementary schools. The event is set for Wednesday, Oct. 13 at 1 p.m. The cost is $150 per person and includes golf, cart rental, range balls, a goody bag and lunch. Players can choose to pay an additional $30 for dinner and a chance to win raffle prizes. Sponsorship of tees is still available for a rate of $500 per tee box. For information on sponsorship, to donate raffle prizes or to sign up for the tournament, call (619) 908-3407. Largest countywide coastal cleanup returns Sept. 25 Residents can help stop the flow of debris into the ocean by joining the largest volunteer cleanup event in San Diego County on Saturday, Sept. 25. Coastal Cleanup Day 2010 offers a chance for environmental enthusiasts to get their hands dirty and keep the ocean clean. From Tijuana to Oceanside, more than 10,000 volunteers will help clean up in excess of 150,000 pounds of trash in just one morning. The volunteer cleanup will span more than 80 sites in San Diego County from 9 a.m. until noon. All volunteers will also receive a free ticket to ride the roller coaster at Belmont Part, Scout troops will receive a free Scout patch and elementary school students have a chance to win a free art kit. Participants are urged to bring their own reusable bucket, work gloves and a water bottle to help reduce waste heading to the landfill. For more information or to find a cleanup site, visit www.cleanupday.org. Registration is encouraged for groups of 20 or more.